Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
I only drink free range coffee now anyways. On Jan 2, 2008 3:11 PM, LWB250 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Interesting that you mention this. There was a very spirited conversation at a party I went to this week about how Bunn coffeemakers were the only ones that made good coffee, and that was because of how hot they got the water. Dan --- Mitch Haley [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: John Robbins wrote: probably some benefit to keeping the coffee that hot We've got the hottest, freshest brew in town!!! The paperwork with the Bunn home brewer claims that it maintains a tank of 190 degree water because it's the perfect brewing temperature. If you brew at 190 and serve it fresh, it's HOT. I think the pre-Stella McDonald's maintenance temp after brewing was about 160 deg F (71C), which is as hot as I can get the coolant in my 2.3L gasser in the winter. Mitch. Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
Here is an attorneys defense of such cases from another list, and then a physicians explanation of the MacDonalds case: -- The fact that these cases are conceivable to people may simply be a reflection that people have been fed a nonstop propaganda diet that plaintiff's lawyers get rich on frivolous lawsuits. Corporations have a vested interest in having people believe that and excellent public relations departments to put out the propaganda. Here's the reality: While there are a few superstars who do indeed make millions, the average lawyer makes about $50,000 a year. That's not minimum wage but neither is it winning the lottery. The procedural rules largely favor corporate defendants. In fact, the procedural rules so heavily favor corporate defendants that corporate defendants win almost all of the time, even when they've behaved abominably. The reason the famous McDonald's coffee case makes headlines is that it is so rare for a corporate giant to lose big that when it does happen, it's newsworthy. Think about it for a minute: If corporate defendants were really losing as many frivolous lawsuits as their propagandists would have you believe, you'd never hear about it because stuff that happens all the time isn't newsworthy. About those punitive damages: They're necessary, for two reasons. In the first place, if I'm a badly-behaving corporate defendant, I know that if I get sued I'm probably going to win because the procedural rules are stacked so heavily in my favor. However, if I do lose, and there aren't punitives, then I'm no worse off than I would have been had I behaved well in the first place. So by behaving badly, I can profit most of the time because most of the time there will be no penalty at all, and on those rare occasions when I lose, I'll just break even. The only financial motivation I have to behave well is the possibility that some ticked off jury may award punitives. Second, lawyers who serve the poor, who can't afford to pay by the hour, have to eat and pay their bills. The only way they can do so is if at least occasionally a case walks in the door that pays a large enough windfall to keep them in business for the majority of clients from whom they'll make a little bit of money but not that much. If I happen to be a plaintiff's lawyer, that million dollar once-in-a-lifetime fee that I make off the McDonalds coffee case allows me to handle all those penny-ante slip and fall cases for which I'll make $1000 in fees for a case that was open for six months. There are two sides to every story and if I wanted to, I could tell you the corporate defendant side too. And candidly, I do think the country would be better off with half as many law schools and twice as many medical schools. But when rich corporations talk about evil plaintiffs' lawyers, consider the source. The coffee case was legit: http://www.caoc.com/CA/index.cfm?event=showPagepg=facts A vascular surgeon determined that Liebeck suffered full thickness burns (or third-degree burns) over 6 percent of her body, including her inner thighs, perineum, buttocks, and genital and groin areas. She was hospitalized for eight days, during which time she underwent skin grafting. Liebeck, who also underwent debridement treatments, sought to settle her claim for $20,000, but McDonalds refused. During discovery, McDonalds produced documents showing more than 700 claims by people burned by its coffee between 1982 and 1992. Some claims involved third-degree burns substantially similar to Liebecks. This history documented McDonalds' knowledge about the extent and nature of this hazard. McDonalds also said during discovery that, based on a consultant's advice, it held its coffee at between 180 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain optimum taste. He admitted that he had not evaluated the safety ramifications at this temperature. Other establishments sell coffee at substantially lower temperatures, and coffee served at home is generally 135 to 140 degrees. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
Right on, BillR! My ex spouse burned herself badly after we drove away from a McDs in Rockville MD in the early 80s. I was driving when it spilled. She had first degree burns in the same area as the woman in the lawsuit, despite the fact that the coffee was several minuites old. It may be politically incorrect to support this sort of litigation but 1) it gets the attention of corporations scr*w us over, and 2) protects the rest of us who are exposed to the same perils. On Dec 31, 2007 5:10 PM, Bill [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I have always looked at the McDonald's hot coffee suit that way also, until I ran into someone who actually read the particulars of the case. The coffee, which McDonalds stated was too hot to be safe, burned through her skin and caused multiple surgeries and some permanent damage. Unsafe for anyone at that temperature, and given the environment at McDonalds I suppose we should be glad it wasn't a kid grabbing a parent's arm and losing much of the skin on their face. I am by no means up on the particulars of the case, but I am told it is not the case it is usually presented to be. At any rate, I have stopped using it as an example until I know a bit more about it. BillR -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of archer Sent: Monday, December 31, 2007 11:31 AM To: Undisclosed-Recipient:; Subject: [MBZ] Stella Awards It's time again for the annual Stella Awards! For those unfamiliar with these awards, they are named after 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued the McDonald's in New Mexico where she purchased the coffee. You remember, she took the lid off the coffee and put it between her knees while she was driving. Who would ever think one could get burned doing that, right? These are awards for the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U.S. Here are the Stella's for the past year: 7TH PLACE: Kathleen Robertson of Austin , Texas was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners were understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running toddler was her own son. 6TH PLACE : Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles , California won $74,000 plus medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbor's hubcaps. 5TH PLACE: Terrence Dickson, of Bristol , Pennsylvania , was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage. Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut. Forced to sit for eight, count 'em, EIGHT, days on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food, he sued the homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental Anguish. Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of anguish. 4TH PLACE: Jerry Williams, of Little Rock , Arkansas , garnered 4th Place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door neighbor's beagle - even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun. 3RD PLACE: Third place goes to Amber Carson of Lancaster , Pennsylvania because a jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her tailbone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument. What ever happened to people being responsible for their own actions? 2ND PLACE: Kara Walton, of Claymont , Delaware sued the owner of a night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom window to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge, the jury said the night club had to pay her $12,000oh, yeah, plus dental expenses. Go figure. 1ST PLACE: This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner was Mrs.. Merv Grazinski, of Oklahoma City ,Oklahoma , who purchased a new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home from an OU football game, having driven onto the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
Yes, I am sure the discussion at McDonald's headquarters went something like this: What's the matter, Ron? Well Don, we've run flat out of ideas on how to scr*w our customers. No problem Ron, I've been working on a new idea on how we can burn them with our coffee! Wow! Sounds great, Don! On Jan 2, 2008, at 9:54 AM, andrew strasfogel wrote: Right on, BillR! My ex spouse burned herself badly after we drove away from a McDs in Rockville MD in the early 80s. I was driving when it spilled. She had first degree burns in the same area as the woman in the lawsuit, despite the fact that the coffee was several minuites old. It may be politically incorrect to support this sort of litigation but 1) it gets the attention of corporations scr*w us over, and 2) protects the rest of us who are exposedto the same perils. On Dec 31, 2007 5:10 PM, Bill [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I have always looked at the McDonald's hot coffee suit that way also, until I ran into someone who actually read the particulars of the case. The coffee, which McDonalds stated was too hot to be safe, burned through her skin and caused multiple surgeries and some permanent damage. Unsafe for anyone at that temperature, and given the environment at McDonalds I suppose we should be glad it wasn't a kid grabbing a parent's arm and losing much of the skin on their face. I am by no means up on the particulars of the case, but I am told it is not the case it is usually presented to be. At any rate, I have stopped using it as an example until I know a bit more about it. BillR ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
Not at all what I am saying, Allan. Management knew about the problem but chose to ignore it, as fixing matters would cost a few $$ or 2) maybe they were afraid that a few customers would complain because they were used to scalding hot coffee Anyway, McD is long over this incident and more popular than ever with their shareholders and customers alike. On Jan 2, 2008 11:11 AM, Allan Streib [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Yes, I am sure the discussion at McDonald's headquarters went something like this: What's the matter, Ron? Well Don, we've run flat out of ideas on how to scr*w our customers. No problem Ron, I've been working on a new idea on how we can burn them with our coffee! Wow! Sounds great, Don! On Jan 2, 2008, at 9:54 AM, andrew strasfogel wrote: Right on, BillR! My ex spouse burned herself badly after we drove away from a McDs in Rockville MD in the early 80s. I was driving when it spilled. She had first degree burns in the same area as the woman in the lawsuit, despite the fact that the coffee was several minuites old. It may be politically incorrect to support this sort of litigation but 1) it gets the attention of corporations scr*w us over, and 2) protects the rest of us who are exposedto the same perils. On Dec 31, 2007 5:10 PM, Bill [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I have always looked at the McDonald's hot coffee suit that way also, until I ran into someone who actually read the particulars of the case. The coffee, which McDonalds stated was too hot to be safe, burned through her skin and caused multiple surgeries and some permanent damage. Unsafe for anyone at that temperature, and given the environment at McDonalds I suppose we should be glad it wasn't a kid grabbing a parent's arm and losing much of the skin on their face. I am by no means up on the particulars of the case, but I am told it is not the case it is usually presented to be. At any rate, I have stopped using it as an example until I know a bit more about it. BillR ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
Allan Streib wrote: Yes, I am sure the discussion at McDonald's headquarters went something like this: What's the matter, Ron? Well Don, we've run flat out of ideas on how to scr*w our customers. No problem Ron, I've been working on a new idea on how we can burn them with our coffee! Wow! Sounds great, Don! They may not have been directly trying to screw us, but there was probably some benefit to keeping the coffee that hot (no idea what that might be) that saved the company money or something. Hence why it took a lawsuit to get them to stop doing it. McDonalds is like Wal-Mart in that if you save $.05 at one store, you save tons of money across all of them. John ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
John Robbins wrote: probably some benefit to keeping the coffee that hot We've got the hottest, freshest brew in town!!! The paperwork with the Bunn home brewer claims that it maintains a tank of 190 degree water because it's the perfect brewing temperature. If you brew at 190 and serve it fresh, it's HOT. I think the pre-Stella McDonald's maintenance temp after brewing was about 160 deg F (71C), which is as hot as I can get the coolant in my 2.3L gasser in the winter. Mitch. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
Actually, I'm thinking they used one of those jacketed urns for coffee. It keep the coffee hotter which IMHO keep you from tasting how vile it is. I used to think McDons just added to the mix and never actually brewed a fresh pot. Watered down, it's flavorless but actually is the right color. From: Mitch Haley [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:23:09 -0500 To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com Subject: Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards John Robbins wrote: probably some benefit to keeping the coffee that hot We've got the hottest, freshest brew in town!!! The paperwork with the Bunn home brewer claims that it maintains a tank of 190 degree water because it's the perfect brewing temperature. If you brew at 190 and serve it fresh, it's HOT. I think the pre-Stella McDonald's maintenance temp after brewing was about 160 deg F (71C), which is as hot as I can get the coolant in my 2.3L gasser in the winter. Mitch. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
Interesting that you mention this. There was a very spirited conversation at a party I went to this week about how Bunn coffeemakers were the only ones that made good coffee, and that was because of how hot they got the water. Dan --- Mitch Haley [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: John Robbins wrote: probably some benefit to keeping the coffee that hot We've got the hottest, freshest brew in town!!! The paperwork with the Bunn home brewer claims that it maintains a tank of 190 degree water because it's the perfect brewing temperature. If you brew at 190 and serve it fresh, it's HOT. I think the pre-Stella McDonald's maintenance temp after brewing was about 160 deg F (71C), which is as hot as I can get the coolant in my 2.3L gasser in the winter. Mitch. Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
[MBZ] Stella Awards
Unlike the claims that come out in a trial [absolutely ridiculous, from what I have heard from friends], I do not believe that the intention was to injure anyone. It would be plain silly to suggest malice as a reason. Having had my mouth burned several times [I am a slow learner, I guess] when I thought their coffee had cooled long enough or had enough ice added to it, I'd have to agree it was too hot for safe handling. I am sure they were going on some food science estimate of how to make the best coffee and not medical results of having it spilled in what is common usage of the cups - especially in vintage Mercedes that don't have cup holders. Too bad they didn't just borrow Dunkin' Donuts coffee plan - they have GOOD coffee, though I can't get near the donuts. McD's cooled it down to where it will not cause permanent damage and the need for skin grafts when it comes in contact with human skin. Not really a bad idea, and though it probably does result in a slightly less flavorful coffee I do think it is something they should have figured out on their own. I sure can't tell as I don't get it anymore, and I drink the same pot for 3 days at home so such subtleties are lost on me. As a society we do need a better middle ground between suing everyone for anything and letting producers who cause harm be held blameless. It is a lousy system, except for all the rest. Personally I'd be in favor of charging the person bringing the suit - and their attorney - with the cost of all litigation that got into a 'nuisance' category, except you'd never get legislation passed as to what that threshold was. BillR -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Allan Streib Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 11:12 AM To: Mercedes Discussion List Subject: Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards Yes, I am sure the discussion at McDonald's headquarters went something like this: What's the matter, Ron? Well Don, we've run flat out of ideas on how to scr*w our customers. No problem Ron, I've been working on a new idea on how we can burn them with our coffee! Wow! Sounds great, Don! On Jan 2, 2008, at 9:54 AM, andrew strasfogel wrote: Right on, BillR! My ex spouse burned herself badly after we drove away from a McDs in Rockville MD in the early 80s. I was driving when it spilled. She had first degree burns in the same area as the woman in the lawsuit, despite the fact that the coffee was several minuites old. It may be politically incorrect to support this sort of litigation but 1) it gets the attention of corporations scr*w us over, and 2) protects the rest of us who are exposedto the same perils. On Dec 31, 2007 5:10 PM, Bill [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I have always looked at the McDonald's hot coffee suit that way also, until I ran into someone who actually read the particulars of the case. The coffee, which McDonalds stated was too hot to be safe, burned through her skin and caused multiple surgeries and some permanent damage. Unsafe for anyone at that temperature, and given the environment at McDonalds I suppose we should be glad it wasn't a kid grabbing a parent's arm and losing much of the skin on their face. I am by no means up on the particulars of the case, but I am told it is not the case it is usually presented to be. At any rate, I have stopped using it as an example until I know a bit more about it. BillR ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
UGH DD is pretty poor. I'll get it only because sometimes I like having coffee in the car and refuse to go to McDs for anything even though their coffee is pretty good, which I found out by accident. You want good coffee you get Tim Hortons... Or barring that you go to NYC and get it from a cart. -Curt Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 16:29:33 -0500 From: Bill [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [MBZ] Stella Awards To: 'Mercedes Discussion List' mercedes@okiebenz.com Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii snip Too bad they didn't just borrow Dunkin' Donuts coffee plan - they have GOOD coffee, though I can't get near the donuts. snip again - Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
Oh and if you put coffee between your legs and it burns you you get what you get. Coffee is supposed to be hot, if it was cold you'd complain. A cup thats between your legs is full of stuff thats going to get on you. The first thing to do is to admit that you do stupid stuff, then look at your life and say If I did that what would happen then when you come up with negative answers don't do those things. So: If I put a cup of hot coffee between my legs and it spills what happens? I get hot coffee all over my crotch and I might be burned. Okay so that sounds like a bad thing, I guess I shouldn't do that... A DD medium coffee fits perfectly just in front of the arm rest and if you're very careful you can use the armrest to apply enough pressure so it won't move. I've considered making a small cutout to hold a cup more solidly, might do that some day, a piece of styrofoam covered in fabric might work nice and be removeable so other stuff could live there. -Curt - Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
I have only lived in Jacksonville for 2.5 years and have not tried the DD coffee here. In Coral Springs it was really good. I wonder how much variation there is in coffee in a chain restaurant. I like Olive Garden's Pasta e Fagioli soup, and at my local restaurant it is spicier than the Zuppa Toscana. Tried it at an Olive Garden in Orlando and the Zuppa Toscana was spicier. How much leeway do they give the local chef? BillR -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Curt Raymond Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 5:20 PM To: Diesel List Subject: Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards UGH DD is pretty poor. I'll get it only because sometimes I like having coffee in the car and refuse to go to McDs for anything even though their coffee is pretty good, which I found out by accident. You want good coffee you get Tim Hortons... Or barring that you go to NYC and get it from a cart. -Curt Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 16:29:33 -0500 From: Bill [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [MBZ] Stella Awards To: 'Mercedes Discussion List' mercedes@okiebenz.com Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii snip Too bad they didn't just borrow Dunkin' Donuts coffee plan - they have GOOD coffee, though I can't get near the donuts. snip again - Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
I bought a 'stained to match' plywood insert for the console with two cup holders on eBay a couple of years ago. Almost never use it because you can't with the arm rest down and it is an inconvenient angle at best with the armrest up. I've never spilled hot coffee on myself [just burned my mouth a few times] but see enough possibilities that I'd rather see it a bit safer, and I've never met anyone who hasn't done some stupid stuff. I don't think this is an issue we will agree on, Curt. BillR -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Curt Raymond Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 5:24 PM To: Diesel List Subject: Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards Oh and if you put coffee between your legs and it burns you you get what you get. Coffee is supposed to be hot, if it was cold you'd complain. A cup thats between your legs is full of stuff thats going to get on you. The first thing to do is to admit that you do stupid stuff, then look at your life and say If I did that what would happen then when you come up with negative answers don't do those things. So: If I put a cup of hot coffee between my legs and it spills what happens? I get hot coffee all over my crotch and I might be burned. Okay so that sounds like a bad thing, I guess I shouldn't do that... A DD medium coffee fits perfectly just in front of the arm rest and if you're very careful you can use the armrest to apply enough pressure so it won't move. I've considered making a small cutout to hold a cup more solidly, might do that some day, a piece of styrofoam covered in fabric might work nice and be removeable so other stuff could live there. -Curt - Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
Coffee in a covered styrofoam cup will stay hot for a LONG time. Much longer than coffee in an uncovered ceramic mug or even most automobile-style travel mugs. Adjust your expectations accordingly. Allan -- 1983 300D 1966 230 Bill [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I've never spilled hot coffee on myself [just burned my mouth a few times] but see enough possibilities that I'd rather see it a bit safer, and I've never met anyone who hasn't done some stupid stuff. I don't think this is an issue we will agree on, Curt. BillR ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
I have a clone recipe for the pasta fagioli form Olive Garden if you want it. My wife loves the stuff and claims this is as good or better. Drop me a note off-list... Dan --- Bill [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I have only lived in Jacksonville for 2.5 years and have not tried the DD coffee here. In Coral Springs it was really good. I wonder how much variation there is in coffee in a chain restaurant. I like Olive Garden's Pasta e Fagioli soup, and at my local restaurant it is spicier than the Zuppa Toscana. Tried it at an Olive Garden in Orlando and the Zuppa Toscana was spicier. How much leeway do they give the local chef? BillR -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Curt Raymond Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 5:20 PM To: Diesel List Subject: Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards UGH DD is pretty poor. I'll get it only because sometimes I like having coffee in the car and refuse to go to McDs for anything even though their coffee is pretty good, which I found out by accident. You want good coffee you get Tim Hortons... Or barring that you go to NYC and get it from a cart. -Curt Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 16:29:33 -0500 From: Bill [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [MBZ] Stella Awards To: 'Mercedes Discussion List' mercedes@okiebenz.com Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii snip Too bad they didn't just borrow Dunkin' Donuts coffee plan - they have GOOD coffee, though I can't get near the donuts. snip again - Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
if it is hot, you complain and get rich. if it is cold, you complain and drink crappy coffee. can you imagine a world in which they will be serving coffee at 140 degrees? or better yet, just ban to go coffee sales as too dangerous. have i ever made mention of how much i hate the world i live in? On Jan 2, 2008 5:24 PM, Curt Raymond [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Oh and if you put coffee between your legs and it burns you you get what you get. Coffee is supposed to be hot, if it was cold you'd complain. A cup thats between your legs is full of stuff thats going to get on you. The first thing to do is to admit that you do stupid stuff, then look at your life and say If I did that what would happen then when you come up with negative answers don't do those things. So: If I put a cup of hot coffee between my legs and it spills what happens? I get hot coffee all over my crotch and I might be burned. Okay so that sounds like a bad thing, I guess I shouldn't do that... A DD medium coffee fits perfectly just in front of the arm rest and if you're very careful you can use the armrest to apply enough pressure so it won't move. I've considered making a small cutout to hold a cup more solidly, might do that some day, a piece of styrofoam covered in fabric might work nice and be removeable so other stuff could live there. -Curt - Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
On Jan 2, 2008 3:00 PM, Allan Streib [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Coffee in a covered styrofoam cup will stay hot for a LONG time. Leaching carcinogens into the coffee all the while! How anyone can stand to drink from a hot Styrofoam cup is beyond me. I can taste the chemicals in every sip. Alex Chamberlain '87 300D Turbo et al. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
I think the essence of what I'm saying is more like we all do stupid stuff I sure do anyway... I try to take somewhat the more German approach that you should be DRIVING. Although I cheat that an awful lot... IIRC the argument with McDs was that the coffee was much hotter (something insane, like 200F) when it came out of the coffee maker than it needed to be and that people had complained. As a company they shot themselves in the foot, the old lady was only asking for her medical bills. They could have had good press the other way. I wonder, it'd be interesting to see if you could track a sympathy buying pattern around the time of the lawsuit... -Curt Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 17:54:50 -0500 From: Bill [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards To: 'Mercedes Discussion List' mercedes@okiebenz.com Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I bought a 'stained to match' plywood insert for the console with two cup holders on eBay a couple of years ago. Almost never use it because you can't with the arm rest down and it is an inconvenient angle at best with the armrest up. I've never spilled hot coffee on myself [just burned my mouth a few times] but see enough possibilities that I'd rather see it a bit safer, and I've never met anyone who hasn't done some stupid stuff. I don't think this is an issue we will agree on, Curt. BillR - Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
I would speculate its the covered part of that thats the biggest factor. At home I use a coffee press and the coffee in the glass press is hot MUCH longer than in my cup. I can warm up the cup from the press for a surprisingly long time after the coffee in the cup has gone cold. I don't believe the glass of the press has any better insulating properties than the ceramic of my mug but the press is covered. -Curt Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:00:43 -0500 From: Allan Streib [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Coffee in a covered styrofoam cup will stay hot for a LONG time. Much longer than coffee in an uncovered ceramic mug or even most automobile-style travel mugs. Adjust your expectations accordingly. Allan -- 1983 300D 1966 230 - Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
Wow,. personal responsibility -- that'll never fly. We got a pretty boy trial lawyer who made millions suing big drug companies (and no doubt he would have been all over McD's too if he had got there quick enough), thus driving up health care costs, running for president telling us health care costs are too high. Yep, I feel his pain...but I wonder most about those people who are dazzled by that brilliance. OOOPS is that politics? --R Curt Raymond wrote: Oh and if you put coffee between your legs and it burns you you get what you get. Coffee is supposed to be hot, if it was cold you'd complain. A cup thats between your legs is full of stuff thats going to get on you. The first thing to do is to admit that you do stupid stuff, then look at your life and say If I did that what would happen then when you come up with negative answers don't do those things. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
- Original Message - From: Bill [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unlike the claims that come out in a trial [absolutely ridiculous, from what I have heard from friends], I do not believe that the intention was to injure anyone. It would be plain silly to suggest malice as a reason. Having had my mouth burned several times [I am a slow learner, I guess] when I thought their coffee had cooled long enough or had enough ice added to it, I'd have to agree it was too hot for safe handling. I am sure they were going on some food science estimate of how to make the best coffee and not medical results of having it spilled in what is common usage of the cups - especially in vintage Mercedes that don't have cup holders. Too bad they didn't just borrow Dunkin' Donuts coffee plan - they have GOOD coffee, though I can't get near the donuts. McD's cooled it down to where it will not cause permanent damage and the need for skin grafts when it comes in contact with human skin. Not really a bad idea, and though it probably does result in a slightly less flavorful coffee I do think it is something they should have figured out on their own. I sure can't tell as I don't get it anymore, and I drink the same pot for 3 days at home so such subtleties are lost on me. As a society we do need a better middle ground between suing everyone for anything and letting producers who cause harm be held blameless. It is a lousy system, except for all the rest. Personally I'd be in favor of charging the person bringing the suit - and their attorney - with the cost of all litigation that got into a 'nuisance' category, except you'd never get legislation passed as to what that threshold was. BillR Gerry wrote: It looks like Bill hit the nail on the head. Here is an attorneys defense of such cases from another list, and then a physicians explanation of the MacDonalds case: The fact that these cases are conceivable to people may simply be a reflection that people have been fed a nonstop propaganda diet that plaintiff's lawyers get rich on frivolous lawsuits. Corporations have a vested interest in having people believe that and excellent public relations departments to put out the propaganda. Here's the reality: While there are a few superstars who do indeed make millions, the average lawyer makes about $50,000 a year. That's not minimum wage but neither is it winning the lottery. The procedural rules largely favor corporate defendants. In fact, the procedural rules so heavily favor corporate defendants that corporate defendants win almost all of the time, even when they've behaved abominably. The reason the famous McDonald's coffee case makes headlines is that it is so rare for a corporate giant to lose big that when it does happen, it's newsworthy. Think about it for a minute: If corporate defendants were really losing as many frivolous lawsuits as their propagandists would have you believe, you'd never hear about it because stuff that happens all the time isn't newsworthy. About those punitive damages: They're necessary, for two reasons. In the first place, if I'm a badly-behaving corporate defendant, I know that if I get sued I'm probably going to win because the procedural rules are stacked so heavily in my favor. However, if I do lose, and there aren't punitives, then I'm no worse off than I would have been had I behaved well in the first place. So by behaving badly, I can profit most of the time because most of the time there will be no penalty at all, and on those rare occasions when I lose, I'll just break even. The only financial motivation I have to behave well is the possibility that some ticked off jury may award punitives. Second, lawyers who serve the poor, who can't afford to pay by the hour, have to eat and pay their bills. The only way they can do so is if at least occasionally a case walks in the door that pays a large enough windfall to keep them in business for the majority of clients from whom they'll make a little bit of money but not that much. If I happen to be a plaintiff's lawyer, that million dollar once-in-a-lifetime fee that I make off the McDonalds coffee case allows me to handle all those penny-ante slip and fall cases for which I'll make $1000 in fees for a case that was open for six months. There are two sides to every story and if I wanted to, I could tell you the corporate defendant side too. And candidly, I do think the country would be better off with half as many law schools and twice as many medical schools. But when rich corporations talk about evil plaintiffs' lawyers, consider the source. The coffee case was legit: http://www.caoc.com/CA/index.cfm?event=showPagepg=facts A vascular surgeon determined that Liebeck suffered full thickness burns (or third-degree burns) over 6 percent of her body, including her inner
[MBZ] Stella Awards
It's time again for the annual Stella Awards! For those unfamiliar with these awards, they are named after 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued the McDonald's in New Mexico where she purchased the coffee. You remember, she took the lid off the coffee and put it between her knees while she was driving. Who would ever think one could get burned doing that, right? These are awards for the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U.S. Here are the Stella's for the past year: 7TH PLACE: Kathleen Robertson of Austin , Texas was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners were understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running toddler was her own son. 6TH PLACE : Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles , California won $74,000 plus medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbor's hubcaps. 5TH PLACE: Terrence Dickson, of Bristol , Pennsylvania , was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage. Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut. Forced to sit for eight, count 'em, EIGHT, days on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food, he sued the homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental Anguish. Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of anguish. 4TH PLACE: Jerry Williams, of Little Rock , Arkansas , garnered 4th Place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door neighbor's beagle - even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun. 3RD PLACE: Third place goes to Amber Carson of Lancaster , Pennsylvania because a jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her tailbone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument. What ever happened to people being responsible for their own actions? 2ND PLACE: Kara Walton, of Claymont , Delaware sued the owner of a night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom window to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge, the jury said the night club had to pay her $12,000oh, yeah, plus dental expenses. Go figure. 1ST PLACE: This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner was Mrs.. Merv Grazinski, of Oklahoma City ,Oklahoma , who purchased a new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home from an OU football game, having driven onto the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the motor home left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury awarded her, are you sitting down, $1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home. Winnebago actually changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just in case Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who might also buy a motor home. - With that I wish you all a Happy, Successful, and Prosperous New Year Gerry ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
Man that kind of stuff makes me mad. While Im sure crazy stuff like this goes on, these are false http://www.snopes.com/legal/lawsuits.asp archer wrote: It's time again for the annual Stella Awards! For those unfamiliar with these awards, they are named after 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued the McDonald's in New Mexico where she purchased the coffee. You remember, she took the lid off the coffee and put it between her knees while she was driving. Who would ever think one could get burned doing that, right? These are awards for the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U.S. Here are the Stella's for the past year: 7TH PLACE: Kathleen Robertson of Austin , Texas was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners were understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running toddler was her own son. 6TH PLACE : Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles , California won $74,000 plus medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbor's hubcaps. 5TH PLACE: Terrence Dickson, of Bristol , Pennsylvania , was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage. Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut. Forced to sit for eight, count 'em, EIGHT, days on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food, he sued the homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental Anguish. Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of anguish. 4TH PLACE: Jerry Williams, of Little Rock , Arkansas , garnered 4th Place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door neighbor's beagle - even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun. 3RD PLACE: Third place goes to Amber Carson of Lancaster , Pennsylvania because a jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her tailbone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument. What ever happened to people being responsible for their own actions? 2ND PLACE: Kara Walton, of Claymont , Delaware sued the owner of a night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom window to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge, the jury said the night club had to pay her $12,000oh, yeah, plus dental expenses. Go figure. 1ST PLACE: This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner was Mrs.. Merv Grazinski, of Oklahoma City ,Oklahoma , who purchased a new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home from an OU football game, having driven onto the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the motor home left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury awarded her, are you sitting down, $1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home. Winnebago actually changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just in case Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who might also buy a motor home. - With that I wish you all a Happy, Successful, and Prosperous New Year Gerry ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com -- Kaleb C. Striplin/Claremore, OK 94 E420, 92 300SD, 92 300D, 92 250D Turbo, 92 300E 4Matic, 91 300D, 90 420SEL, 89 560SEL, 89 260E, 87 300SDL, 85 380SE 5.0 Euro, 84 190D, 84 300D euro manny, 81 240D, 81 380SLC, 80 240D, 76 240D, 76 300D, 72 250C, 69 250 http://www.okiebenz.com ___
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
I have always looked at the McDonald's hot coffee suit that way also, until I ran into someone who actually read the particulars of the case. The coffee, which McDonalds stated was too hot to be safe, burned through her skin and caused multiple surgeries and some permanent damage. Unsafe for anyone at that temperature, and given the environment at McDonalds I suppose we should be glad it wasn't a kid grabbing a parent's arm and losing much of the skin on their face. I am by no means up on the particulars of the case, but I am told it is not the case it is usually presented to be. At any rate, I have stopped using it as an example until I know a bit more about it. BillR -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of archer Sent: Monday, December 31, 2007 11:31 AM To: Undisclosed-Recipient:; Subject: [MBZ] Stella Awards It's time again for the annual Stella Awards! For those unfamiliar with these awards, they are named after 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued the McDonald's in New Mexico where she purchased the coffee. You remember, she took the lid off the coffee and put it between her knees while she was driving. Who would ever think one could get burned doing that, right? These are awards for the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U.S. Here are the Stella's for the past year: 7TH PLACE: Kathleen Robertson of Austin , Texas was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners were understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running toddler was her own son. 6TH PLACE : Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles , California won $74,000 plus medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbor's hubcaps. 5TH PLACE: Terrence Dickson, of Bristol , Pennsylvania , was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage. Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut. Forced to sit for eight, count 'em, EIGHT, days on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food, he sued the homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental Anguish. Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of anguish. 4TH PLACE: Jerry Williams, of Little Rock , Arkansas , garnered 4th Place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door neighbor's beagle - even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun. 3RD PLACE: Third place goes to Amber Carson of Lancaster , Pennsylvania because a jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her tailbone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument. What ever happened to people being responsible for their own actions? 2ND PLACE: Kara Walton, of Claymont , Delaware sued the owner of a night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom window to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge, the jury said the night club had to pay her $12,000oh, yeah, plus dental expenses. Go figure. 1ST PLACE: This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner was Mrs.. Merv Grazinski, of Oklahoma City ,Oklahoma , who purchased a new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home from an OU football game, having driven onto the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the motor home left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury awarded her, are you sitting down, $1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home. Winnebago actually changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just in case Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who might also buy a motor home. - With that I wish you all a Happy, Successful, and Prosperous New Year Gerry
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
Kaleb, Thanks for doing the research.. Happy New Year to your new family. Chuck Phoenix AZ On Dec 31, 2007, at 11:37 AM, Kaleb C. Striplin wrote: Man that kind of stuff makes me mad. While Im sure crazy stuff like this goes on, these are false http://www.snopes.com/legal/lawsuits.asp archer wrote: It's time again for the annual Stella Awards! For those unfamiliar with these awards, they are named after 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued the McDonald's in New Mexico where she purchased the coffee. You remember, she took the lid off the coffee and put it between her knees while she was driving. Who would ever think one could get burned doing that, right? These are awards for the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U.S. Here are the Stella's for the past year: 7TH PLACE: Kathleen Robertson of Austin , Texas was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners were understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running toddler was her own son. 6TH PLACE : Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles , California won $74,000 plus medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbor's hubcaps. 5TH PLACE: Terrence Dickson, of Bristol , Pennsylvania , was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage. Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut. Forced to sit for eight, count 'em, EIGHT, days on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food, he sued the homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental Anguish. Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of anguish. 4TH PLACE: Jerry Williams, of Little Rock , Arkansas , garnered 4th Place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door neighbor's beagle - even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun. 3RD PLACE: Third place goes to Amber Carson of Lancaster , Pennsylvania because a jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her tailbone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument. What ever happened to people being responsible for their own actions? 2ND PLACE: Kara Walton, of Claymont , Delaware sued the owner of a night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom window to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge, the jury said the night club had to pay her $12,000oh, yeah, plus dental expenses. Go figure. 1ST PLACE: This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner was Mrs.. Merv Grazinski, of Oklahoma City ,Oklahoma , who purchased a new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home from an OU football game, having driven onto the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the motor home left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury awarded her, are you sitting down, $1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home. Winnebago actually changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just in case Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who might also buy a motor home. - With that I wish you all a Happy, Successful, and Prosperous New Year Gerry ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com -- Kaleb C. Striplin/Claremore, OK 94 E420, 92 300SD, 92 300D, 92 250D Turbo, 92 300E 4Matic, 91 300D, 90
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
If that makes you mad, you should hear some of the stories I would hear when working with the legal dept. at Kohler. While our division had some interesting litigation from time to time that we had to work on, the plumbing division had some real doozies. One of my favorites was the 600-700 pound guy that sat on a wall-hung toilet, which, as you might expect, tore out of the wall. We settled, and as a result, re-engineered our wall hung toilets to hold nothing short of a small car, I believe. Naturally, the additional costs were passed on to the consumer Dan --- Kaleb C. Striplin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Man that kind of stuff makes me mad. While Im sure crazy stuff like this goes on, these are false Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
Ah, well I was looking at the Grohe UK catalog which has all sorts of nice things as compared to usa catalog and *was* wondering why the wall hung toilet assemblies looked more like a structure you'd find on front of a fork lift. On Dec 31, 2007, at 3:00 PM, LWB250 wrote: /// One of my favorites was the 600-700 pound guy that sat on a wall-hung toilet, which, as you might expect, tore out of the wall. We settled, and as a result, re-engineered our wall hung toilets to hold nothing short of a small car, I believe. Naturally, the additional costs were passed on to the consumer Dan ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
I saw a demo in the development lab of the redesigned toilet, and to show how strong they were there were guys jumping up and down on one. The story I really enjoyed was about the time plumbers were pressure testing in an addition to an existing building, and while doing so, guillotined a guy's member in a urinal from the pressure. Ouch. We never had anything that exciting in the power systems division. MacDan --- John M McIntosh [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Ah, well I was looking at the Grohe UK catalog which has all sorts of nice things as compared to usa catalog and *was* wondering why the wall hung toilet assemblies looked more like a structure you'd find on front of a fork lift. On Dec 31, 2007, at 3:00 PM, LWB250 wrote: /// One of my favorites was the 600-700 pound guy that sat on a wall-hung toilet, which, as you might expect, tore out of the wall. We settled, and as a result, re-engineered our wall hung toilets to hold nothing short of a small car, I believe. Naturally, the additional costs were passed on to the consumer Dan ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Stella Awards
Another college story -- in a rocket engineering class the prof told of the time when some wiseass (supposedly anonymous, but he knew lots of the details) hooked up a 2000 psi water line to the rocket lab toilet (one of those direct injection kind) at a school that sounded like the one he attended, when their prof was taking care o' bidness, and when this prof hit the flush leverit definitely hit the fan. Hey -- Happy New Year Y'all!!! --R LWB250 wrote: I saw a demo in the development lab of the redesigned toilet, and to show how strong they were there were guys jumping up and down on one. The story I really enjoyed was about the time plumbers were pressure testing in an addition to an existing building, and while doing so, guillotined a guy's member in a urinal from the pressure. Ouch. We never had anything that exciting in the power systems division. MacDan ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
